In a survey carried out across our community, we found out about Irish women's bedtime behaviours and attitudes, the ins and outs of the average couple’s sex life, and what it is that leads to a change in the sex life of a busy parent.
One of the most interesting areas of the survey was what happened a mum's sex life after giving birth, with 56% admitting to missing their pre-baby sex life. Additionally, of the mums who took the survey:
- 75% admitted to changes in their sex life following babies
- 71% were unprepared for these changes in their sex life
The survey threw out some alarming trends regarding our mums’ sex lives, with a number of factors, including energy and physical complications, affecting their relationships in the bedroom.
Exhaustion was found to be the main factor affecting how often couples are having sex, with a staggering 80% of mums struggling to juggle work, childcare and housework, with their sex lives suffering as a result.
Low self-esteem and body issues from changing shape also have a major impact on the frequency at which couples are having sex, while a third of mums listed reduced sensation down below as another major issue affecting their sex lives after kids.
Changes to our mums’ sex lives also extended to masturbation, with the percentage of mums who masturbate regularly increasing from 55% before having children to 64% after having children, according to our survey.
Commenting on the findings, MummyPages’ Mum-in-Residence Laura Haugh said that mutual support after the arrival of a child will help to ease the transition in a couple's sex life.
“If a woman feels loved and desired by her partner she is more inclined to feel comfortable in all areas of her life including the bedroom. Women have a tendency to over think things and worry about whether their partner still finds them attractive. This is why it is so important to provide your partner with constant reassurance – a simple compliment can make a huge difference to a woman’s confidence and self-esteem which crosses over into the boudoir," she said.
